1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to automotive vehicle audio systems and more specifically to a method and apparatus for reducing electrical interference caused by the operation of other on-board electrical components.
2. Background Art
Modern automotive vehicles have many separate electronic control units (ECUs) for various vehicle systems, subsystems, and components. These ECUs may typically include those for the engine, transmission, occupant restraint systems, collision sensors, antilock brakes, cruise control, audio/entertainment systems, power windows, etc. It is well known to utilize an electronic communications network, or bus, to interconnect and allow communication between the ECUs without the need for a host computer. Examples of communications networks currently used in automotive applications are Controller Area Network (CAN) and Local Interconnect Network (LIN). Such bus systems have been found to enable a maximum sharing of information between systems with a minimum of hardware complexity and expense.
One undesirable consequence of the increase of electrical and electronic systems in automobiles is the possibility of electromagnetic interference (EMI). The conventional solution to EMI problems have included, repackaging of components, shielding, and circuit changes. These solutions typically involve adding considerable cost and/or development time to the product.
More recently, it has become known to integrate entertainment systems, such as radios, CD players, and DVD players, into the communications bus.